I've been toying with the idea of shifting to PLDT, but since I didn't want to let go of our decade old Bayantel landline number, and I didn't want to pay for an extra landline, I decided to go for an unlimited data plan with Globe. I've been using the same number for years, and I've always needed to be online all the time, so I can check emails and my team at work, despite being elsewhere so getting a mobile data plan seems like the best option for me.
With the unlimited data plan of Globe, I was thinking I'd use it to be online anywhere, and when I'm home, I can use it to download stuff over the internet.
So last year, I did just that. And for the first few months, I was extremely happy. I was able to check emails, browse the web, watch a streaming video or two during the day. And when I was at home at night, I could download stuff during off-peak hours. And the connection was fast enough during night time (not so during the day), that i felt I never needed a dedicated DSL line anymore. I was so happy, that I decided to get three more lines for my wife, and my parents.
Finally, I thought, we were now getting great internet services only the more affluent countries are getting. Tolerable speeds at tolerable rates.
Imagine my disappointment when I woke up this morning. My internet connection is now down to barely twice the fastest internet residential speed back in 1995 (56kbps). My connection is around 80kbps or just 10kB/s.
 |
| After getting new subscribers, they're now screwing them over using FUP. Well, #FUPYouGlobe |
Just last January 23, 2014, Globe implemented a Fair Usage Policy (FUP), that capped their 'unlimited' data plan to 1gb per day or 3gb per month (whichever came first). This means that if you reach a total download of 1gigabit per day or 3gigabit per month, your connection speed will be throttled to 2g speeds (which is slower than internet speeds back in 1995).
I will admit that I am a heavy downloader on some days (but who isn't nowadays? with streaming music and video, which is what Globe marketing is using to entice new subs), but I feel that I'm paying too much to be limited to 3gb per month. Heck, I'm paying way too much to be limited to downloading 1gb per day.
When I was with BayanDSL, I've downloaded 10gb a day, at least once. At the minimum, I download 2gb per day. And that's paying 999 pesos for the internet service per month.
But instead of Globe improving their infrastructure to handle more bandwidth per customer, they're packing in more customer to their already congested network. And they have the audacity to still call it a Fair Usage Policy. How is it fair that you charge a premium to your subscribers, when you're not giving them premium services? And instead of improving your speeds, you're still enticing customers to sign up despite your lack of capacity?
The bad part is, Globe is handing out 2 year plans to subscribers, with promises of unlimited surfing, without explaining their FUP. Now these customers are tied up for 2 years on terrible plans.
The only good news on my part, is that I only subscribed to SIM-only plans, so I'm not locked in for 2 years. I could get the lines cut any time I want.
As consumers, we have rights. And when it comes to situations like these, we should let our wallets do the talking.
No comments:
Post a Comment